Erosion retarder for ditches



March 15, 1932. w, H. CLEVELAND ET AL 1,849,323

EROSION RETARDER FOR DITCHES Filed March 19, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet I|lllllllL mflevelafid 07773 1 witness Vw Hume/11o March 15, 1932. w. H.CLEVELAND ET AL EROSION RETARDER FOR DITCHES 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed March19, 1930 aumwtow 771 Cleveland 6 moi/26 q vi tmeoo Patented Mar. 15,1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EROSION RETARDER FOR DITCHESApplication filed March 19, 1930. Serial No. 437,117.

The invention relates to openwork barriers for ditches and waterchannels in general, to check rush of water therein and to arrest thetravel of any debris which may be traveling with the water current.

It is one ob]ect of the invention to provide a simple and inexpenslveconstruction which may readily be formed from materials which can bepurchased upon the market, overcom- IC ing the necessity of providing anumber of specially made parts.

A. further object is to provide a concrete slab which prevents washingout of the bottom of the ditch at the down-stream side of the barrier,said slab also serving as means for effectively anchoring the lowerportion of the barrier and for holding a number of thebarrier-supporting posts against tilting under the pressure of thewater.

lVith the foregoing in view. the invention resides in the novel subjectmatter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplishedby reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the down-stream sideof the improved erosion retarder.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view partly broken away and in horizontal sectionand by the line 11 this view illustrates the plane on which thesectional portion of Fig. 1 is cut.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a portion of the wire meshbarrier connected with a wire mesh reinforcement for the concrete slab.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional V1W similar to a portion ofFig. 3.

0 A wire mesh barrier 6 is provided, supported by suitable posts 7driven into the ground, said posts being preferably of metalconstruction and provided with integral means of conventional form forengagement with the wire to anchor the latter. rier 6 preferablyembodies an intermediate portion 8 extending straight across the ditchor the like D, and two wing portions 9 'eX- v tending up the banks ofthe ditch and diverging upstream. The portion 8 and the con- Thebartiguous portions of the wings 9, are preferably of. less height thanthe remaining portions of the barriers, providing spillways 10, acrosswhich widely spaced wires 11 preferably extend, said wires beinganchored to certain of the posts 7.

The lower portion of the barrier 6 may extend any desired distance intothe ground and said lower portion is connected with a concrete slab 12on the ditch bottom. This slab 12 tenaciously anchors the lower edge ofthe barrier 6 and it also prevents the severe washing away of the ditchbottom which would take place at the down-stream side of the spillways10. Then too, the slab 12 engages a number of the posts 7 and henceholds them against tilting under the pressure of the water checked bythe barrier.

In the preferred construction, the upstream edge portion of the slab 12is molded around the lower edge portion of the barrier 6 and aroundportions of a number of the posts 7, so that slab, posts and barrierbecome one rigid unit which will consequently be more effectivelyanchored and more durable than otherwise. It is preferable to providethe slab 12 with a wire mesh reinforcement 13 which is substantiallycoextensive therewith, said reinforcement being connected with the loweredge portion of the barrier 6, as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4t and 5.

' By the novel construction shown and described or an equivalentthereof, an erosion retarder is provided which is of simple andinexpensive construction, may formed from materials which can bepurchased upon the marketand will be highly efficient and durable. Bycheckin the down-rush of water, particularly a. r a hard rain, severewashage is prevented and it will be understood that by using theretarder-s in a number of ditches or the like, discharging for instanceinto a stream, the rate of discharge into said stream maybe checked sothat there is less danger of the stream overflowing its banks. Moreover,the retarders or barriers will hold in check any floating debris whichwould otherwise be discharged into the stream with danger of clogging-itand causing flood conditions.

readily be 85 that within the scope of the invention as claimed,variations may be made.

What is claimed is:

1. An erosion retarder comprising a wire barrier embodying a straightvertical central portion extending across a ditch bottom, and two wingportions inclining from said central portion up the bank of a ditch,said wing portions diverging upstream; vertical posts set in the groundat the juncture of said central and wing portions, at the outer, ends ofsaid wing portions and between the ends of the latter, all of saidportions being secured to said posts; a cement slab having a centralbottom portion extending downstream from said central portion of thebarrier, and two inclined cheek portions cxtend ing downstream from saidwing portions of the barrier along the ditch banks, the upstream edgesof said inclined slab portions diverging upstream; the lower edge ofsaid barrier being embedded in the upstream edge portion of said slab,said upstream edge portion of the slab being molded around a pluralityof the aforesaid posts, whereby a unitary wash and pressure-resistingstructure is produced.

2. An erosion retarder comprising a central relatively short verticalwire mesh barrier portion extending across a ditch bottom, and tworelatively long wire mesh wings whose upper edges are inclinedoutwardly, said wings diverging upstream and extending up the ditchsides, said central barrier portion and substantially the inner halvesof said wings being of uniform height throughout their lengths andproviding a spillway, substantially the outer halves of said wings beingof greater height throughout their len ths to guide debris-laden watertoward said spillway, vertical posts to which the barrier is secured,said posts being set in the ground at the juncture of said wings withsaid central barrier portion, at the outer ends of said wings andbetween the ends of said wings, and a cement slab having a fiat centralbottom portion extending downstream from said central barrier portion onthe ditch bottom, and two cheek portions inclining up the ditch banksfrom said central slab portion and extending downstream from said wings,the upstream edges of said cheek portions diverging upstream and beingmolded around a plurality of said posts and around the lower edges ofsaid central barrier portion and said wings.

3. An erosion retarder comprising a central relatively short verticalWire mesh barrier portion extendingvacross a ditch bottom, and tworelatively long wire mesh wings whose upper edges are inclinedoutwardly, said wings diverging upstream and extending up the ditchsides, said central barrier portion and substantially the inner halvesof said wings being of uniform height throughout their lengths andproviding a spi'llway, substantially the outer halves of said wingsbeing of greater height throughout their lengths to guide debris-ladenwater toward said spillway, vertical posts to which the barrier issecured, said posts being set in the ground at the juncture of saidwings and between the ends of said wings, and widely spaced Wiressecured to the posts, above and parallel with the portions of thebarrier constituting said spillway.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto affixed our signatures.

WVILLIAM H. CLEVELAND.

CLARENCE W. BOTHE.

